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I recently received the following e-mail:

To: Gary Beatty From: ************** Thu, Jun 1 at 12:28 PM

Mr Beaty

While researching I came accross your online post titled An educational failure on a website for a Colorado newspaper so i looked you up and found a website that has a lot of articles you wrote and a lot of them critcze education and teachers. Why do you hate education and teachers. The bio at the bottomof your articles says you have a doctorate so you have benifitted from education. whats you problem

A proud teacher

Setting aside that its obvious A proud teacher apparently does not teach grammar or composition (or maybe does which is scarier!) he/she/whatever asks a legitimate question.

What exactly is my problem with current public education?

I normally dont respond to such unsolicited comments on my columns, but in this case I did. Ill share my response:

Dear Proud Teacher,

Thank you for the question! I obviously dont hate education or teachers since (as you so astutely point out) I am both educated, and a teacher. You make the common mistake now-a-days of confusing hate with legitimate criticism.

Since I have no basis to doubt you are, as you claim, a teacher, I will make certain assumptions based on my life experience. You attended college, and at some point took classes in a education department of that college since that is the usual path to becoming a teacher.

Having been educated about education in such a department you are no doubt familiar with the writings of John Dewey, the so-called father of modern education theory. At the core of that theory is the idea that the role of teachers is to be, as Professor Thomas Sowell observes, agents of social change, not simply transmitters of a heritage of knowledge.

It is that core which I challenge.

Dr. Jordan Peterson describes our current education system as it has evolved since the early 1900s as a miracle of stupidity a sentiment I share based on my own experience in the post-WWII American public education system. I attended primary and secondary school in the 50s and 60s; undergrad college in 60s and 70s; then law school in the 80s.

I had a child in the public education system during the 70s, 80s and 90s grandchildren in the 2000s and now a great-grandchild in a public school. Thats over a half-century of participation in, and direct observation of, the miracle of stupidity which is getting progressively (no pun intended) worse.

The older I get, the more I realize with the exception of law school how little which is actually useful my public education taught me that I couldnt have learned through reading on my own. And how much more Ive learned from reading since.

I was fortunate that, by the time I was in the third grade, I was able to read well enough to begin to expand my knowledge of the world beyond what my teachers were telling me. Thats when my true education began.

My father, a self-employed plumber, only briefly attended college in the mid-1930s. My mom, an English war bride from WWII, had only the equivalent of the 8th grade education working class girls of her generation were given in the UK. I did not come from an academic upbringing.

As an adult, I learned from my parents that when I was in third grade, the school system decided that because of my working class background I should be put on track to learn a trade, like my father because that would be the limit of my intellectual capability. My parents trusted that the educators who decided my fate were experts who knew best.

Apparently the fact I could read several grade levels above my actual grade was an aberration because well there is no way my teachers could be wrong in their assessment of my intellect. They were professional educators after all.

Then in the 6th grade, when I got the highest grade in my class in reading comprehension, my fate was changed. The educators advised my parents that college was in my future, if I would simply learn to apply myself because they had determined I was an underachiever! (It apparently never occurred to these experts that they may have had something to do with that.)

So in the 7th grade, I was one of six students selected to be taught to speed read. This was during the Kennedy presidency. He could speed read so it became the latest fad among educators. ( I can still read very rapidly though not as well since Ive aged and have to deliberately slow down when reading for work or about very technical subjects.)

From that point on the educators told me in effect that if I didnt get into college I would be a failure. After all, they had all gone to college, so they knew best. But I continued to confound them.

Between being the class clown, and never turning in homework on time, the educators decided their first assessment of me as being limited intellectually had been correct after all. They told my parents so. But when my father asked why I was able to get As on exams the experts had no explanation. Nor were they able to explain how I scored in the top 95th percentile on the SAT.

By then my parents had figured out the educators didnt know their asses from their elbows, and told me to be whatever I wanted to be but if that meant going to college I needed to pay for it myself. The GI Bill took care of most of it. Working while going to school covered the rest, but it limited the time I had to devote to study.

It was my ability to read well that got me through both undergrad, and law school. The public schools taught me to read, but little else beyond the basics of math, history, geography, and science, etc. Everything else Ive learned about those subjects I acquired myself through reading.

Im living proof that if the schools simply focus on teaching reading skills, the rest of education can take care of itself. What I know, and write about, comes from my own reading NOT from what I was supposedly taught by educators.

Most of what I hear nowadays from teachers in the public schools (including universities) thats being regurgitated by students, is either politically distorted or flat out wrong. Schools are indoctrinating rather than educating.

So forgive me, proud teacher, if I dont take you (or your system) seriously. It needs to be dismantled and rebuilt from scratch. Its producing narcissists with literacy skills limited to texting, who believe having a smart phone is a substitute for life experience and acquired wisdom.

The system isnt transmitting our heritage of knowledge. But the kids damn sure know which pronouns to use so I guess Deweys modern education theory about teachers being agents of social change can be considered a success by those who believe that nonsense.

As for the rest of us, considering the poor results that theory is producing (based on the low literacy rates of our current crop of students and young adults) were curious what is it you are so proud of?

Too damn many of them cant read well enough to educate themselves as I was able to.

But if the goal is to produce functionally illiterate serfs ignorant of even basic history geography, and certainly biology who can be kept compliant by the government through social media then I guess you have every reason to be proud.

I hope that answers your question.

Gary Beatty

Gary Beatty lives between Florida and Pagosa Springs. He retired after 30 years as a prosecutor for the State of Florida, has a doctorate in law, is Board Certified in Criminal Trial law by the Florida Supreme Court, and is now a law professor.

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A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW: My Problem with Current Public ... - Pagosa Daily Post

Catholicism has always considered creation to be the place of Gods saving activity, but the Churchs eschatological vision has often focused on an otherworldly destiny that forgets the importance of this world. This otherworldly escapism still lingers in some Christian descriptions of salvation: the individual human soul is saved for heaven. An example of such an escapist eschatology is Dr. Jordan Petersons recent More-Christian-Than-The-Pope tweet Redemptive salvation is a matter of the individual soul directed at Pope Franciss prior comments on social justice. For the doctor, There is nothing Christian about #SocialJustice.

Within the Catholic Church, the escapist view of salvation envisioned by Peterson has become less prominent during the last century. While pre-conciliar eschatology sometimes focused on the Last Things as a postscript to the Christian Faith, now there is a different eschatological focus: the Church does not exclusively seek salvation from Earth but also salvation for Earth. The Second Vatican Council helped to re-emphasize an authentically Christian eschatology in which creation and eschaton belong together in which the world is even now being called to its final fulfillment. This new eschatological focus is not really new but rather a harkening back to the biblical and patristic teaching that, in Christ, creation waits with eager longing for its full restoration (Rom 8:19). For early Christians like the second-century Irenaeus of Lyons, Christ came that He might draw all things to Himself (Against Heresies 3:16:6). The salvation brought by Christ includes the recapitulation and fulfillment of the entire creation.

What accounts for the change? The Churchs re-evaluation of its role in the world and a renewed biblical hermeneutic of salvation history were major factors in this shift. Additionally, the natural sciences have necessitated a new consideration of the entire cosmos in Gods plan. Ultimately, this renewed eschatological vision provides a thoroughly Christian foundation for concern for this world in the here and now. Our attempts to build up the Kingdom of God through the pursuit of social justice have a solid theological foundation.

Whereas we may have once thought of the Church primarily as a haven a collection of the saved from the world, the Vatican Council reminds us that the Church is for the world. As the sacrament of salvation (Lumen Gentium [LG] 48) the Church is the mediating presence of the Spirit, who forever creates the world anew. It is true that as an institution, the Church is often as messy as the world around it. But precisely as sacrament, the Church is the designated locus of Gods saving activity. Just as Christ was the Kingdom of God in person, so the Church continues to incarnate the Kingdom in the world.

That the Church is for the world for its sanctification and transformation means that the Church is active. The Church can never be turned in on itself. Christ indicated as much when he designated his followers as the light of the world (Matt. 5:14).

Now, no Christian will find any of this particularly surprising. Since the Church exists in the world, every believer understands that the Church must have some sort of role to play within it. Yet we still slip into an otherworldly Christianity whenever this role is posited as a mere project of gathering-the-saved. This truncated eschatology does not fully appreciate the Churchs relationship to the world. Precisely as the means of the worlds sanctification, the Church assists the world in its eschatological journey. Christs identification of the Kingdom of God with a mustard seed suggests as much. The seed will grow into the largest of plants so that even the birds come to dwell in its branches (Mt 13:32). Likewise, the Kingdom grows within the created order, ultimately becoming home for all creatures. The Church is for the sake of Gods great gathering of the world.

Echoing the image used by Christ, Vatican II identifies the Church as leaven in the world, the means by which it is gathered into Gods family. As leaven, Christians must build a better world based on truth and justice (Gaudium et Spes [GS] 55). This only makes sense if the church is sent into the world so as to sanctify and transform it from within. The eschatological vision renewed by the council is clear: Earthly progressis of vital concern to the Kingdom of God (GS 39).

The councils renewed interest in the primacy of Scripture in theology also enables a revived eschatology of a creation-in-progress. In particular, the councils framework of salvation history places the work of God in this world, here and now. Creation, covenant, sin, redemption, judgment, resurrection all of these elements comprise one united telling of exitus-reditus, of creations proceeding from and returning to God.

This kind of identification of the world as the locus of Gods promise is apparent throughout the Bible. Genesis situates Gods relationship with Adam and Eve in the garden in the world. Their very purpose is to be priests of creation in its praise of the Creator. Humanitys sin does not change this fundamental anthropology. Rather, from Abraham onward, the divine project of salvation involves the restoration of creations purpose. The completion is yet to come, when God will establish the New Heaven and New Earth (Rev 21:1). Even so, salvation history means that the eschaton takes place in history rather just at its end.[1]

The history of salvation culminates in the Resurrection of Christ. Recovery of the centrality of the Resurrection means the recovery of an authentically Christian eschatology, for belief in the Resurrection means a belief in the eschaton in history. Indeed, the Resurrection concerns the very goal of the entire cosmos. Christ is but the first fruits, as Paul says.

Because the Resurrection is not just a past event but a vital power which has permeated this world (Evangelii Gaudium [EG] 276), the Church is called to mission. Christians who evangelize, says Pope Francis, are instruments of that power (EG 276). Lest one thinks such evangelization is a mere promulgation of propositions for ones individual salvation, one need only read Franciss Evangelii Gaudium to better appreciate the social implications of the Gospel. For the Holy Father, evangelization and human advancement are two sides of the same coin.

As an instrument of the power of the resurrection, the human endeavor for justice inspired by the Gospel is a means of re-creating the world anew in advancement of the Kingdom. All Christians, continues Francis, are called to show concern for the building of a better world (EG 183).

The findings of science within the last few centuries have also motivated Catholic thinkers to stress the importance of creation and its connection to the eschaton. In the context of surveying modern trends in science, the council acknowledges that the human race has passed from a rather static concept of reality to a more dynamic, evolutionary one (GS 45). The entire cosmos is on a journey. The Catechism declares that the universe is moving toward an ultimate perfection yet to be attained (CCC 302).

If the universe is ever advancing to its goal in Christ, then one can no longer make a strict distinction between creation and the eschaton. Though yet to be fully realized, creations aim is the eschaton. In his book Resting on the Future, theologian John F. Haught explores the implications of an unfinished Universe for eschatology. Rebuking both naturalistic pessimism, and otherworldly optimism, Haught advances what he calls cosmic hope.[2] Such a hope recovers that Abrahamic truth: Namely, creation is seeded with the divine promise of the future.

This anticipatory vision is not a type of escapism, for it includes the entire story of creation. It hopes for the redemption of all of cosmic history. The Catechism likewise says that God guides his creation to that definitive sabbath rest the very reason for which he created heaven and earth (CCC 314). Clearly, then, the Universe is not a mere stage for the salvation of individual souls. An eschatology that takes science seriously admits that the entire Universe is in a state of journeying toward its ultimate salvation.

This kind of identification of the here and now with the eschaton as well as the present responsibility of humanity do not result in a mere equivalence between the current order of things and Gods ultimate plan. Nor does it mean that the destiny of creation is reducible to human effort. Nevertheless, the new eschatological emphasis imbues all of creation from the smallest molecules to the entire cosmos with the transforming power of the Resurrected Christ.

Perhaps the most manifest indication of the Churchs new emphasis on the eschatological impact of human activity is the heightened call to ecological responsibility. In his environmental encyclical Laudato Si, Pope Francis unfolds the eschatological vision that identifies the now with the new, the present with the eschaton. The encyclical depicts creation as moving forward with us and through us towards a common point of arrival (LS 83) thereby envisioning human cooperation in creations consummation in Christ.

With this new eschatological outlook, the Christian Faith can never imply detachment from the world. Contrary to the unfortunate even if unintentional impression given by pre-conciliar eschatology, then, belief in the Kingdom of God does not imply waiting around for the worlds betterment at the second coming. In fact, human persons play a central part in the ultimate destiny of all things for by their labor they are unfolding the Creators work (GS 34).

As can be discerned from the above contributions, an authentically Christian eschatology is synonymous with the Gospel message: Namely, in Christ, salvation has come to the world the entire world soul, body, and cosmos. It is this truly Christian eschatology that is the basis for social justice for making a positive difference in the world, here and now. Taking all this into consideration, it would seem that authentic Christian eschatology that is to say, authentic Christianity has little to do with the individual soul and very much to do with #SocialJustice.

[1] Joseph Ratzinger, Principles of Catholic Theology: Building Stones for a Fundamental Theology (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1987), 171.

[2] John F. Haught, Resting on the Future

Image: Lawrence OP. The apse of St Barnabas in Oxford has an image of Christ Pantocrator (Ruler of all) blessing the cosmos. Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0). Via Flickr.

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The Eschatological Foundations of Social Justice - Where Peter Is

There is no necessity to marry in modern dating. Instead, many couples simply go through the motions. Often, singletons meet, then they date and have intimate relations with one another before even one word of commitment is spoken.

Years pass, and it gets to that time when talks of moving in together arise. It makes sense to live together its the next step, right? Youre spending so much time together, so why pay two rents when you could be saving for your future together? Plus, with divorce rates being so high, you want to ensure that you and your partner are 100% right for each other before saying I do.

The reasons for moving in together before engagement or marriage are many. It seems like the logical choice. However, youre actually more likely to get divorced if you move in together before you get married. Heres why.

Couples generally believe living together before marriage is a good way to avoid divorce. However, studies have shown that couples who live together first are actually less satisfied with their marriages and more likely to divorce than couples who do not. This is called the cohabitation effect.

Even marital researchers are confused by this effect because, in theory, moving in together before marriage should reduce the chances of marrying the wrong person. Youll learn more about each other, begin negotiating chores, and get a taste of what married life would be like with your beloved. And its true to a certain extent.

For example, a study in 2018 showed that couples who live together first are less likely to break up in the first year of marriage. This is likely because they spend years negotiating and getting used to living together before entering a marriage. However, this happiness doesnt last long, as couples who live together first are more likely to get divorced later on. In the short term, it seems that living together works, but in the long term, its less effective. Why is that?

The cohabitation effect cant be fully explained through characteristics such as a persons religion, education, or politics.

Although some believe this occurs because those who live together before marriage may be more open to divorce in the first place i.e. they arent religious and have no moral reason for not moving in with their partner research shows that the cohabitation effect cant be fully explained through characteristics such as a persons religion, education, or politics.

This is something Dr. Meg Jay covers in her book The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter and How To Make the Most of Them Now. She writes that when twentysomethings are asked how they ended up moving in with their partner, they often say, It just happened. This is known as sliding, not deciding. Going from dating to cohabitation is often a gradual slope and bears no real commitment. Plus, a real conversation about what it means to move in together rarely occurs.

In fact, moving in together can mean different things to each person and unfortunately, its incredibly common for a couple to have widely different reasons for moving in with their partner. Dr. Jay writes that when women are asked why they want to live with their partner, they are more likely to say they want better access to love. However, when a man is asked, he will often say easier access to sex. Worse still, even after the relationship progresses to marriage, lower levels of commitment still persist.

People have lower standards for a live-in partner than for a spouse.

Another negative side effect of cohabitation is the fact that people have lower standards for a live-in partner than for a spouse something which could be detrimental to your future happiness. Time is a persons most precious commodity, and by lowering standards for a live-in partner, people are simply wasting time theyll never get back. So, if you do decide to move in with your boyfriend and you hope to be married with kids one day its important to ask whether or not this is the person you want to do that with.

Another reason why its important to be intentional is because theres a psychological process that occurs when you make a decision.

According to Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice, The very option of being allowed to change our minds seems to increase the chances we will change our minds. When we can change our minds about decisions, we are less satisfied with them. When a decision is final, we engage in a variety of psychological processes that enhance our feelings about the choice we made relative to the alternatives.

Its almost as if getting married once youve already been living together becomes a default mechanism its just the next step. Couples end up sliding into marriage rather than making a purposeful commitment. Plus, without a lifelong commitment, people are able to keep one foot out of the relationship and easily use their get-out-of-jail-free card.

Ultimately, Jordan Peterson defines what cohabitation really is in his book Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life. He writes: Consider the statement implicit in living together, prior to marriage: Youre good enough to live with, and attractive enough for temporary sexual purposes, but I want to hold open the possibility of trading up if Im fortunate enough to find someone preferable to you (someone sufficiently deluded to accept me as a partner, under such conditions). Contrast that with I am willing to stake my future on our joint integrity, and to risk building a life with you on that foundation. If you had to choose between two potential partners on the basis of those alternate explicitly stated principles one abiding by the former, the other, the latter whom would you choose?

People no longer want to live their lives with boundaries. However, withholding some aspects of a relationship, such as moving in together, may lead to a better outcome in the long run.

If you dont want to wait until marriage to live with your boyfriend, make sure you ask yourself whether the guy youre moving in with would make a good husband and father.Its also important to have the right discussions with your boyfriend before you move in together to ensure youre both on the same page. The last thing you want is to move in with a guy who is only doing so to delay a real commitment to you. But if youve already moved in, its not too late. Have these conversations with your boyfriend now to save yourself from possible heartbreak in the future.

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Living With Your Boyfriend? Your Marriage Is Less Likely To Work ... - Evie Magazine

A good frienda retired professor of science at a prestigious universitydespairingly sent me yet another example of the cancellation of information challenging the woke zeitgeist. The article, which appeared in the influential journal Physics Education Review, claimed that whiteboards collaborate with white organizational culture, where ideas and experiences gain value (become more central) when written down. As if that wasnt ridiculous enough, an even bigger fish, the American Physical Society, not only jumped in to defend the nonsense but stifled contrary opinions put forth by a group of highly credentialed physicists.

It seems that similar outrages occur in academia almost every week. Respected scholars invited to speak on campus are shouted down or chased from the stage by howling packs of indoctrinated students, violent Antifa members are hired to teach at major universities, and highly discriminatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mandates are inserted into the curriculum, governing documents, and job advertisements.

Illustrating how deeply cancel culture has intruded upon valid intellectual exploration, an anonymous anthropology Ph.D. who goes by the internet pseudonym Stone Age Herbalist recently wrote in a widely circulated UnHerd article:

What seems obvious to the general public that prehistory was a bloody mess of invasions, migrations, battles and conflict is not always a commonplace view among researchers. Worse, the idea that ancient peoples organized themselves among clear ethnic and tribal lines is also taboo. Obvious statements of common sense, such as the existence of patriarchy in the past, are constantly challenged and the general tone of academia is one of refutation: both of established theories and thinkers and of disagreeable parts of the past itself.

His lament suggests that the emerging consensus among academic anthropologists has become preposterous. Everything we know about primitive people, both long dead and alive today, indicates that the sort of social organization describedethnic, tribal, and patriarchalis pretty much universal. Yet that apparent verity conflicts with the majority views in todays anthropology departments; in some, such observations cannot even be expressed, let alone defended.

Such thinking sounds the death knell for truth and knowledgeand yet it prevails throughout much of academia. My friends despair was hardly irrational. Yet Sauron has not completely won the whole of Middle Earth. Some hearty contrarian academics still remain, and many of their colleagues, who personally lean to the left, still support an open exchange of ideas. Perhaps more important, small bastions of conservative thought have appeared in the last couple of decades, both inside and outside the academy.

Inside, independent academic centers and institutes that receive outside funding but are still part of the university have, with a few exceptions, proven to be both resilient and effective as far as providing post-doctoral employment for newly minted conservative Ph.D.s until they can find more permanent positions. In part because of these centers, every new conservative Ph.D. of my acquaintance has found appropriate intellectual work, mostly in academia.

Another very hopeful development is a new spirit of engagement with academia by conservative state politicians. Until recently, even in solidly red states, Republican politicians gave wide latitude to public university systems to run their own affairs. In doing so, they turned a blind eye to intellectual realities, and those institutions responded by becoming woke and allying themselves with politicians on the left. Lately, however, there has been serious pushback. For instance, as of May 1, twenty state legislatures have proposed bills disallowing or limiting the use of DEI political litmus tests in the state university systems.

Additionally, some states are restoring the spirit of the open exchange of ideas on their public campuses by mandating debates or discussions featuring multiple perspectives on controversial topics. Florida recently passed a bill that requires public universities to create an Office of Public Policy Events to hold large-scale discussions or debates on major issues on campus. North Carolina has already created a Public Discourse Program for the same purpose at its flagship campus at Chapel Hill and may do something similar for its entire university system.

As promising as these developments are, it is unlikely the academy will become a completely open forum any time soon. Even in a best-case scenario, opinions will not be allowed to stray too far from established norms. There has been too much censorship for too long, too much social disapprobation, with too many factions poised to disrupt events whenever the discussion veers outside the narrow boundaries of their approval.

Furthermore, conservative efforts to date have done little to confront the deep-seated bias in departments, administrations, academic journals, and research funding agencies, where the worst silencing goes on. As the saying goes, personnel is policy, and new hiring continues to move faculty and related staff further into cancel culture. The left will find other means than statements of agreement with DEI principles to winnow out non-conforming jobseekers, and it may take more than a few laws protecting free speech to change the real dialogue on most campuses.

But even if the momentum against openness to differing views continues in the academy, there is growing activity outside the protective walls of the Ivory Tower. Another institution vies to be the leader in public discussion: the internet.

Important ideas are increasingly likely to be introduced on the websites of think tanks or web-based media publications rather than in academic journals. Still, these publications must remain within a certain range of perspectives or face cancellation techniques such as the loss of access to social media.

Most people are familiar with highly visible dissenters who have left tenured academic positions, such as former Evergreen State College biologist Brett Weinstein or former University of Toronto psychologist Jordan Peterson, both of whom now thrive on the internet. But there are some academicssome still working inside the academywhose work goes far beyond current conventions. The above-cited Stone Age Herbalist is one, and he describes how serious scholarship in his field now takes place in a sort of intellectual underground:

For or many of us, anonymity has allowed us to pursue our passion for scholarly research in a way that is simply impossible within the censorious confines of modern academia. And so, in these hidden places, professional geneticists, bio-archaeologists and physical anthropologists have created a network of counter-research. Using home-made software, spreadsheets and private servers, detailed and rigorous work is conducted away from prying eyes and hectoring voices.

The internet has made it possible for even the most unique scholars to promote their ideas to the broader public. Another anonymous internet intellectualthe outrageous Bronze Age Pervertself-published a book (Bronze Age Mindset) in 2018 that burst through the barrier that separates the wishful world of self-published writers and the lucrative world of celebrated authors. To many younger scholars in academia, tired of the boundaries imposed on them, his book was seen as intriguingif not thrilling. To more established intellectuals, it was seen as ill-conceived and threatening, although more than a few found it worthy of real analysis.

With so many new entrants into the world of ideas outside of traditional sources, academias stranglehold on the national discourse may be broken, and the Ivory Tower itself may be forced to open up. But that is only if the current freedom to exchange ideas continues. What the future brings is anybodys guess; the future of the intellectual life of the nation comes down to a question of power: Who controls the dialogue?

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Where To, Academic Man? - The American Conservative

The recruiting trail is about to heat up with summer official visits set to begin in earnest this weekend. Heres one thought on the 2024 class of each Big 12 program before the pot gets boiling.

National rank: 45 Number of commits: 5 Average player rating: 86.32

The Bears have understandably hit the home state hard, with four of the five commitments coming from Texas thus far. But Baylor is also hoping to dip into Arizona for three-star tight end Dillon Hipp. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound prospect and top tight end in the state has a busy June with four official visits: Ole Miss, Arizona State, TCU and Baylor. Fortunately for the Bears, theyre batting cleanup, with Hipp slated to visit Waco on June 23.

National rank: 63 Number of commits: 4 Average player rating: 84.71

The Cougars are working hard to land a quarterback in the 2024 class. BYU missed out on four-star prospect Isaac Wilson to in-state rival Utah, which stung even worse considering hes the younger brother of former BYU star Zach Wilson. Regardless, Kalani Sitake and his staff have a couple more irons in the fire, including three-star Carson Suesue, who made an unofficial visit in March and will transfer to Granger High School in Salt Lake City for his senior year. The Cougars are also pursuing unrated Enoch Watson, the younger brother of incoming BYU linebacker Pierson Watson.

National rank: 21 Number of commits: 9 Average player rating: 87.13

Can the Bearcats maintain their white-hot start to the 2024 recruiting cycle? Despite being the only team in the league to undergo a coaching change this offseason, the Big 12 newcomers currently have a top-25 class that ranks second in the conference. Thats partially a result of already having nine commits, headlined by four-star, top-300 linebacker Qua Birdsong. The rankings will change drastically between now and the early signing period, but it will be interesting to see what else the Bearcats can add this summer and where they wind up in the league pecking order. One of Cincinnatis top remaining targets is four-star quarterback Samaj Jones out of Philadelphia, who has visits scheduled with West Virginia, Cincinnati and Oklahoma in June.

National rank: 90 Number of commits: 1 Average player rating: 84.52

Are we going to see a P5 recruiting bump for the Coogs? Houston currently has the 90th-ranked class nationally dead last in the new Big 12 with only one commit. The Cougars have long had to battle the Group of 5 stigma while recruiting against power-conference foes in one of the most talent-rich states in the country. It will take some time to roll back that ocean, but Houston fans were probably hoping for a quicker impact and faster start on the trail following a disappointing season in 2022. The program needs to come out of the summer visit sessions with some notable progress.

National rank: 31 Number of commits: 7 Average player rating: 85.83

Matt Campbell is getting back to his old development ways. The Cyclones arent completely shying away from bigger swings, including four-star wideout Witt Edwards, who is scheduled to visit in June, and battles with Oklahoma for tight end Cooper Alexander and running back Xavier Robinson. But they are also targeting less-heralded prospects such as in-state receiver Reece Vander Zee, Florida wideout Shamar Rigby, Illinois linebacker Cael Brezina and Brent and Wade Helton, twin offensive linemen out of California. All are expected to make official visits to Iowa State in June.

National rank: 54 Number of commits: 5 Average player rating: 86.62

A few months after Jayhawks defensive backs coach Jordan Peterson scored a commitment from cornerback Jacoby Davis out of Houston just before national signing day, Peterson is continuing to flex his recruiting muscles. He helped Kansas earn a top-four spot for three-star edge rusher Deshawn Warner out of the Phoenix area, and already got a commitment from three-star cornerback Aundre Gibson, Warners teammate and cousin. Peterson is also dipping back into Texas to pursue high-end three-star defensive back Rodney Bimage, who has a 247Sports crystal ball to Texas A&M but will visit Lawrence on June 15.

National rank: 34 Number of commits: 6 Average player rating: 87.25

The vibes are good in Manhattan. The Wildcats are fresh off a 2022 conference championship and locked up head coach Chris Klieman with an eight-year extension this offseason. So theres little sense of panic as Kansas State eases into the 2024 class, although a shuttered airport wont help matters this summer. With a handful of offensive commits in tow, the Wildcats are targeting a pair of high-end three-star edge rushers in Caleb Redd and Wyatt Gilmore, with Redd slated to visit in late June.

National rank: 28 Number of commits: 6 Average player rating: 91.01

Brent Venables caught his share of flack for a slow start to the 2023 recruiting cycle, and all he had to show for it in the end was a top-four class, according to the 247Sports Composite. The Sooners are already off to a solid start in 2024, and despite recently losing four-star, in-state defensive lineman Xadavien Sims to Oregon, they have a stacked list of defensive targets on the radar. Oklahoma appears to be in the drivers seat for five-star defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri, No. 3 overall in the 2024 class, and is pursuing a few other five-star, top-10 recruits in defensive lineman and Oklahoma native David Stone and linebacker Sammy Brown. All three are expected to be in Norman for official visits June 16-18.

GO DEEPER

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National rank: 35 Number of commits: 6 Average player rating: 87.09

After a rocky end to the 2022 season and considerable talent drain via the transfer portal this offseason, the Pokes could use a strong haul in the 2024 class. Oklahoma State is currently ranked a very respectable 35th overall, but like BYU, also missed out on Wilson, the four-star quarterback who committed to Utah. In better news, the Cowboys were in early on promising three-star offensive lineman Ory Williams, who visited in April, and appear to be in good position on three-star safety David Kabongo, who has set a commitment date for June 12 with an official visit scheduled in Stillwater a couple of days later.

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National rank: 50 Number of commits: 4 Average player rating: 88.14

Expectations are soaring for the Horned Frogs coming off a left-field run to the national title game, and TCU is hoping to capitalize on that momentum while also replenishing a ton of lost production. How soon (and significantly) will the boost in profile show up in recruiting? The Frogs made the top five for four-star safety Jordon Johnson-Rubell, a Fort Worth native playing for IMG (Fla.) Academy. The good news for TCU is that it has a hometown advantage, and Johnson-Rubell is slated for an official visit on June 8. The bad news is the Frogs are competing with Ohio State, Michigan, Texas and USC. This will be a tough one to win, but seeing TCU in more of these blue-chip battles is an encouraging step.

National rank: 64 Number of commits: 3 Average player rating: 88.40

A year removed from signing 18 total blue-chip prospects in the 2023 class which was ranked third overall and headlined by five-star quarterback Arch Manning the Longhorns have just three commits and only one four-star in the 2024 class thus far. But things are set to ratchet up in a big way, particularly June 23-25. Texas is expected to host at least a dozen priority targets that weekend, including four-star offensive lineman Daniel Calhoun; in-state cornerbacks Kobe Black (five-star) and Selman Bridges (four-star); four-star running back Jerrick Gibson; and five-star, in-state edge rusher Colin Simmons, a top-five overall recruit. The Longhorns are hovering in the mid-60s of the national rankings and toward the bottom of the conference, but thats sure to look considerably different entering July.

National rank: 19 Number of commits: 9 Average player rating: 88.21

Head coach Joey McGuire has the Red Raiders cooking again on the recruiting trail as he enters his second season, currently with a top-20 national ranking in the 2024 class. Of Techs nine commitments thus far, three are top-500 prospects, including four-star edge Cheta Ofili and three-star QB Will Hammond. The Red Raiders are also heavily in the mix for five-star, in-state receiver Micah Hudson, currently rated the seventh-best prospect in the 2024 class. He has an official visit scheduled to Lubbock on June 9, when Tech will look to make a strong impression ahead of his visit to the Longhorns later that month.

National rank: 51 Number of commits: 4 Average player rating: 88.05

Top-500 defensive lineman Sincere Edwards is currently the highest-rated commit of UCFs 2024 class. The Orlando native has been committed to his hometown school since last August, but it will be interesting to see if the Knights can hold on to him as his interest continues to grow. Edwards took an unofficial visit to Pitt in April that clearly resonated (with an assist from Aaron Donald) and announced he would be back for an official visit in late June. He remains committed to UCF and has an OV June 9, and getting him to campus wont be a problem. But the sharks are circling.

National rank: 69 Number of commits: 3 Average player rating: 85.56

The Mountaineers are bringing up the rear of the current recruiting rankings among the leagues incumbent members, but they do seem to have some things in the works. Theyre locked in a battle with old rival and new conference foe Cincinnati for Jones, the four-star quarterback out of Philadelphia. WVU might have the advantage, too: Jones is slated to visit this weekend along with high-end three-star wide receiver and high school teammate Brandon Rehmann, with whom the Mountaineers appear to be in a good spot.

(Photo of Steve Sarkisian: Scott Wachter / USA Today)

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Big 12 football recruiting: 14 thoughts on 14 teams as summer visits begin - The Athletic